Nearly half a million voluntary employer-led placements or work experience opportunities have been provided to job seekers through Jobcentre plus since January 2011 new figures have revealed.

More than 70% of those using the scheme were young people, who used the schemes to increase their skills and experience to help them move into work, with recent figures suggesting that the lowest number of young people are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance since the 1970s.

Employment Minister Esther McVey said:

“The young people I meet tell me that they need work experience to get a job – but they need a job to get work experience. That’s why we hugely expanded our schemes, which have now benefitted nearly half a million people, helping them to get their foot on the career ladder.”

“We are working closely with employers across the country to ensure jobseekers have the skills and experience that businesses need.”

Job seekers have taken part in over 300,000 work experience placements organised through Jobcentre Plus

Over 169,000 places on sector-based work academies have been picked up – these are voluntary employer-led schemes made up of pre-employment training, work experience placements and a guaranteed job interview

Nearly 24,000 of the opportunities have been picked up by people over 50

Over 84,000 opportunities have been taken up by people with disabilities

Surveys have shown that the schemes are proving successful in helping young people get jobs with findings including:

more than 80% of young people felt they were more attractive to employers following work experience or an employer-led placement

42% were offered a job at the end of their placement – around two thirds of people who got a job with a different employer said the sector-based work academies helped them get the job

more than 40% of young people who took part in a work experience placement had got a job since the placement

nearly a quarter of people who finished a work experience placement were offered a job by the employer who gave them work experience.